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Average Nurse (RN) Salary by State 2026

Registered nurse salaries across all 50 states. See which states pay nurses the most and the cost-of-living adjusted rankings.

$124,640
Highest (California)
$68,880
Lowest (Mississippi)
$81,918
National Average
$93,038
Best Adjusted (Nevada)

Top 5 Highest Pay

#1 California$124,640
#2 Hawaii$106,600
#3 Alaska$104,960
#4 Washington$102,500
#5 Oregon$100,040

Top 5 Best Value (COL Adj.)

#1 Nevada$93,038
#2 Illinois$89,935
#3 Washington$89,130
#4 Minnesota$88,763
#5 Oregon$88,531

Bottom 5 Lowest Pay

#50 Mississippi$68,880
#49 South Dakota$69,700
#48 Arkansas$70,520
#47 West Virginia$71,340
#46 Alabama$72,160

All 50 States — Registered Nurse Salary

#StateSalary MonthlyCOL AdjustedCOL IndexTax Rate
#1California$124,640$10,387$87,7751429.3%
#2Hawaii$106,600$8,883$56,10519011%
#3Alaska$104,960$8,747$82,646127None
#4Washington$102,500$8,542$89,130115None
#5Oregon$100,040$8,337$88,5311139.9%
#6Massachusetts$98,400$8,200$72,8891355%
#7Nevada$96,760$8,063$93,038104None
#8New York$96,760$8,063$69,61213910.9%
#9New Jersey$94,300$7,858$77,93412110.75%
#10Connecticut$91,840$7,653$75,9011216.99%
#11Maryland$90,200$7,517$76,4411185.75%
#12Colorado$88,560$7,380$84,3431054.4%
#13Delaware$86,100$7,175$84,4121026.6%
#14Minnesota$86,100$7,175$88,763979.85%
#15New Hampshire$86,100$7,175$76,875112None
#16Illinois$83,640$6,970$89,935934.95%
#17Rhode Island$83,640$6,970$76,7341095.99%
#18Virginia$83,640$6,970$81,2041035.75%
#19Pennsylvania$82,000$6,833$87,234943.07%
#20Texas$80,360$6,697$86,40993None
#21Arizona$79,540$6,628$77,2231032.5%
#22Michigan$78,720$6,560$88,449894.25%
#23Florida$77,900$6,492$75,631103None
#24Ohio$77,900$6,492$87,528893.99%
#25Wisconsin$77,900$6,492$83,763937.65%
#26Georgia$77,080$6,423$82,882935.49%
#27Indiana$76,260$6,355$84,733903.15%
#28Maine$76,260$6,355$69,9631097.15%
#29North Carolina$76,260$6,355$80,274954.5%
#30Missouri$75,440$6,287$85,727884.95%
#31New Mexico$75,440$6,287$82,901915.9%
#32Wyoming$75,440$6,287$79,41195None
#33Tennessee$74,620$6,218$82,00091None
#34Kansas$73,800$6,150$82,921895.7%
#35Louisiana$73,800$6,150$81,099914.25%
#36Nebraska$73,800$6,150$81,099915.84%
#37South Carolina$73,800$6,150$80,217926.4%
#38Utah$73,800$6,150$71,6501034.65%
#39Vermont$73,800$6,150$67,0911108.75%
#40Kentucky$72,980$6,082$83,885874.5%
#41Montana$72,980$6,082$70,8541035.9%
#42Alabama$72,160$6,013$82,943875%
#43Idaho$72,160$6,013$74,392975.8%
#44Iowa$72,160$6,013$80,178906%
#45North Dakota$72,160$6,013$77,591932.9%
#46Oklahoma$72,160$6,013$83,907864.75%
#47West Virginia$71,340$5,945$84,929845.12%
#48Arkansas$70,520$5,877$83,952844.4%
#49South Dakota$69,700$5,808$76,59391None
#50Mississippi$68,880$5,740$82,988835%

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Frequently Asked Questions

What state pays Registered Nurses the most?

California pays the highest Registered Nurse salary at $124,640/year. However, after adjusting for cost of living, Nevada offers the best real value at $93,038 adjusted.

What is the average Registered Nurse salary in 2026?

The national average Registered Nurse salary is $81,918/year. This varies from $68,880 in Mississippi to $124,640 in California.

Which state is best for Registered Nurses after cost of living?

Nevada offers the best cost-of-living adjusted Registered Nurse salary at $93,038. This accounts for housing, taxes, groceries, and other expenses.

How much do Registered Nurses make per month?

The average Registered Nurse makes $6,827/month before taxes. After federal and state taxes, take-home pay ranges from $4,133 to $8,102/month.

Data & Research

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